Yunnan railway museum traces century of tracks linking China to Southeast Asia

"The museum not only preserves and carries forward railway industrial heritage, but also serves as an important platform linking the past, present, and future, while promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning," Wang said.

Song Na, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, said relics such as steam locomotives are tangible witnesses to exchanges among civilizations and serve as links connecting historical memory with cultural resonance.

Yunnan's railways have brought tangible benefits to neighboring countries. Inthavong Phaphonepheng, a Laotian student at Kunming Railway Vocational and Technical College, said that the China-Laos Railway has made travel more convenient and significantly contributed to his country's economic development.

"Today, I attended a lecture on the crucial role museums play in preserving cultural heritage and fostering international exchange," she said. "It gave me a greater understanding of Chinese history and culture, and inspired me to become an ambassador for Chinese culture."